


Isn’t it a little too late?

by masterlokisev159



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Civil War (Marvel), Established Relationship, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Superhero Registration Act
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:55:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28938126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlokisev159/pseuds/masterlokisev159
Summary: Steve knows to keep away. He's against registration and Tony's leading the side for it. He shouldn't be anywhere near him for his own safety. Yet the thought of Tony being at risk terrifies him, no matter what side they're on. He can't help but step in.It turns out Tony feels the same. Maybe it's time they talk.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 112
Collections: 2021 Captain America/Iron Man Remix Relay





	Isn’t it a little too late?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [game over [REMIX]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786422) by [wingheads](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingheads/pseuds/wingheads). 



_Steve, get out of the way!”_

_He couldn’t._

_“Steve!”_

_“I’m not leaving him!”_

_Iron man_ _was still in there. He couldn’t leave him, not for anything-_

_“I can’t-“_

_No matter how far he went, no matter how many times-_

“ _Steve, leave him-!”_

_He still couldn’t leave him. Not even when he was so drunk he could barely stand, not even when he was so low, he could beg for acceptance-_

_Not even when he was so wrong, Steve couldn’t forgive him._

_The world is dark and full of shrouded in smoke. In this place, this time, Steve coughs and ignores Sam’s voice which is calling to him from the void. He doesn’t know why Sams’ here. He shouldn’t be. He wasn’t before._

_“Steve, get back!”_

_“No!”_

_In front of him is the same motel as before. The small excuse for a building, held together by rusted bolts and moulding wood. Life seems to crawl on, barely able to reach the surface._

_There’s fire. The buildings’ on fire. Just like the past._

_And Tony’s in there. Iron man's in there._

_Like man being pulled by strings, he moves forward and feels himself heaving deep breaths as he scours the area for some sign of Tony._

_The flames roar. Something echoes in the back of his mind but he shakes it off and runs into the fire, feeling his eyes burn._

_“TONY! TONY, WHERE ARE YOU?”_

_“Cap!” He hears and somehow his body feels heavier. It’s Tony but he sounds...different._

_“I’m coming-“_

_“Steve-“_

_He sounds tired._

_“Don’t-“_

_Undone._

_“Don’t come.”_

**_Resigned._ **

_“I’m not leaving you!” Steve screams and even as he claws at the wooden door, he knows it’s too late because as always, he’s too late._

_“You already did.”_

_Tony’s last words damn them all. The world disappears in a whirl of smoke and flame and distantly Steve hears his name._

* * *

When Steve woke up, everything was quiet. The bed underneath him felt warm and smelled faintly of cotton and he could hear the distant sound of cabs, and the distinct murmur of Manhattan. It was evening time, he could tell.

He was in a motel. Not unlike the one in his dream. Only this time, there was no fire, no smoke and no screams. Just the faint sounds of someone breathing softly beside him. 

Turning his head, he stopped and stared.

Tony was sat there, fast asleep and slumped over in a chair. He looked exhausted.

“Tony?” Steve heard himself say before he could stop himself and Tony jerked once before jolting up.

“Steve!” Tony cried out and then blinked slowly and turned to face him. “You’re okay.”

Steve stared up at him in shock. Tony’s beard was looking slightly blurred around the edges. His dark blue suit was seemed to be brand new but when Steve squinted, he could see the faint creases in the material. Tony’s hands shook where they were now hovering around his knees, and his shoulders seemed to fall out of relief on seeing Steve wake up. And Steve could understand why.

“You saved me.” Steve said with a dawning realization. “Why?”

Steve remembered flames. And a building and fire. Not from the motel in his dream but another one. With multiple floors and rows of glass. He’d been in a fight.

“Why what?”

“Why did you save me?” Because it still didn’t make sense. Tony being there in his suit and screaming his name as he fell from the skyline. Tony shouldn’t have been there. He should’ve been handling registration.

Tony didn’t seem impressed by his question, in fact, he looked pretty upset. “Of course I’d save you. You were about to play paint on the tarmac! I wasn’t gonna let you fall.”

That explained the bandages covering his body. He could feel the telltale itch of the material around his arms and legs, and something ached in his torso when he shifted. 

“Of course...” Steve turned and looked at the ceiling feeling something stir in his stomach. “Wouldn’t want Captain America escaping on your watch huh?”

Tony looked like he wanted to say something there but he didn’t. Instead he sighed and turned to look out the window. For a moment he said nothing and Steve continued to stare at him. Until finally he spoke.

“You know, we don’t have to talk about it. Since we already know how it’s gonna turn out.” Tony said lightly, even though Steve could see his fists clench in his lap.

Registration had taken over their lives. Nothing had been the same since Stafford. Their homes, their friends, their family-it had all been thrown aside for the sake of battling it out over the accords. And Steve was sure, just as Tony was, that he was fighting for the right thing. 

Steve still couldn’t understand. How could Tony and so many others possibly believe this was the right thing. How could he truly think that when Goliath had-

“It’s better we don’t.” Steve said firmly, squeezing his eyes shut at the thought. He could still see the image of the clone in his mind.

“Well.” Tony blew out a breath and stood up slowly. “I think it’s time I leave. You know where to find me. If you change your mind that is.”

As Steve watched Tony turn, he felt his stomach churn. If Tony left, there would be nothing to say this happened, nothing to even turn to during this time. They were on opposite sides. He might never see Tony again.

Some unknown force seized him. Before he could even think, he was pushing himself up, despite the pain and reaching out.

“Wait!” Steve said sharply and grabbed Tony’s wrist before he could move any further. The minute he did, he felt Tony bristle. But Tony didn’t look at him.

“Let. Go.” Tony said firmly but didn’t turn to face Steve, body angled towards the door.

“We need to talk-“

“We tried that already. Didn’t work.”

“Why did you save me Tony? You haven’t reported me so why?”

“Let **go** of me Rogers-!”

“Why didn’t you report me!?”

“What does it matter!? We’re on opposite sides anyway-!”

“You risked your _life,_ to help me, Tony!” Steve finally shouted and eyed Tony’s back carefully, knowing he was listening to every word. “That means something. I know you’re hurt. I know I hurt you-“

“You did more than that.” Tony spat out and yanked his arm back, spinning around to point at Steve. “You did so much more, you know that? We’re meant to be a family, Steve-“

“Superhero registration isn’t the way Tony. Surely you can see that?” 

“I can’t.” Tony said coldly, and just like that, Steve knew they weren’t going to get anywhere. Not like this. “I wish you saw it my way. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

“Surely you can’t truly think that.” Steve said and tilted his head a little, narrowing his eyes. “Otherwise I’d be in a jail cell right now and you’d be gloating on live camera.”

Steve knew he'd struck a nerve. Tony was _seething._

“You know I could have you arrested? Right here. All I’d have to do is make one call and that would be it.” Tony said darkly and reached into his pocket to hold up his phone. “One call.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would. Try me, I swear.”

Steve looked him over carefully. Then a slow smile spread across his face, dark and cruel.

“Go ahead. I won’t stop you Tony. Do it.”

Tony’s hand shook around the phone. But he held firm. “I will. Just watch me-“

“Then what are you waiting for? Do it.”

“You’re lucky I saved you-“

“Not if your gonna make that call. I’m waiting. C'mon Tony what do you have to lose?”

They stayed locked in a stare for what felt like eternity. Steve could see it though. The hesitation, the pain, the unbearable _fear_ in Tony’s eyes. He was afraid. He was terrified. Even now, standing in front of him the way he was, clearly the stronger of the two, Tony was still not moving. Because he was _petrified._

“You won’t do it.” Steve said softly as he watched Tony’s lip tremble. “Because you still care about me.”

“Shut up-“

“You care about hurting me. That’s why you’re here even though you should be with Reed. That’s why you’re not arresting me. You care.” Steve acknowledged and gestured towards Tony’s whole body. “That’s why you’re shaking.”

“I...” Tony bit his lip and looked at his hand like he’d only just realized. Then slowly he lowered his hand and turned towards Steve. His eyes were wide and so dark, the blue was almost gone.

“I miss you. I miss _us_. And everything we had between us.” Tony whispered and looked down like a hole would swallow him from the ground. “You scared the hell out of me. I saw you and the others on the anti-reg side face an attack at one of our Stark industries buildings on the news. When I saw you fighting and the building caught fire I just-“ 

Tony clapped a hand to his mouth and shook his head, and to Steve horror he saw Tony begin to blink rapidly. And he knew why.

He remembered why he’d been there now. Why he’d pushed the others to come with him.

“I thought you were there. In that building. I’d gotten a lead and I was gonna talk to you. See if we could talk things over one more time. Then there was an attack and I thought you would get hit.” Steve said lowly, meeting Tony’s watery eyes when they looked at him. “I thought you would get hurt.”

Steve saw the moment Tony’s eyes widened and the realization hit. He knew Tony understood, he just knew. Tony was fully aware of the implications and Steve knew he understood the weight of his decision. Steve had risked everything too.

Slowly Tony pulled his hand away from his mouth. Then he bit his lip and stepped closer to the bed. For Steve, the distance between them felt like being light years away. They were out of sync and yet so close.

“I still love you Tony.” Steve said quietly and met his eyes, hoping to show it through his gaze. “You’re still the most important thing in my life. Even now.”

“So are you.” Tony croaked and swallowed, eyeing the empty space in Steve’s bed. “I’m doing this for you.”

And Steve knew he thought that. He knew Tony genuinely thought this was right. But that didn’t mean Steve saw it that way. 

“I know you’re trying to do what’s right. But this can’t be it. You have to see that.” Steve implored and reached out to clasp Tony’s hand. “You know I’m right.”

Tony squeezed his fingers back. But he didn’t say much else. His expression was grim though.

Steve’s heart sank. “Tony-“

“Let’s talk.” Tony said, sniffing quietly while Steve instantly felt filled with hope. “Let’s try again. I’m not saying I agree with you-“

“I know.” 

“But I want this to work for all of us. I hate the idea of you being out on the field on a different team and I can’t even help you. It’s...not right.”

“No.” Steve agreed with a tired smile. “It’s not. I hate not being near you.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Steve grinned a little at that. The issues between them were a mile long but Tony was still Tony. He still loved him. 

And clearly Tony felt the same.

“Come lie down with me Shellhead. I want to feel you near me.”

“Yes sir.” Tony smiled shakily and slowly knelt onto the bed, crawling over until he was leaning over Steve carefully. 

“Please Steve. Let’s figure something out.”

“We need to.” Steve said firmly, using one hand to hook around Tony’s neck. “We have to.”

“Please.”

“Stay here. Let’s talk now. Let’s fix this.”

“I-“

All of a sudden Tony’s phone began to ring, blaring out an obnoxiously loud tune. Steve had half a mind to throw it if he wasn’t bedridden.

“Don’t leave.” Steve begged, watching with a weary expression as Tony sat up and took the call.

“Hello? No I haven’t seen Captain America.” Tony eyed Steve and raised a brow at Steve’s smile. “Yeah I’ll see to the rest of the Superhero Registration when I get back.”

Steve was beaming. He hadn’t felt so light in such a long time. 

“You know what, I’ll call you back. My lunch date is here.” Tony said and cancelled the call before they could be disturbed anymore.

“Alright soldier. Hit me, what’ve you got?” Tony sighed and Steve couldn’t help it.

He grabbed Tony’s wrist and pulled him close. When Tony fell onto him with a soft _oof,_ Steve looked up at him and smiled.

“I’ve got you.” He said and without wasting a second, he pressed his lips to Tony’s, feeling something slot into place when their lips met.

Remnants of the dream flitted through his mind. Words he dreaded to remember.

“ _I’m not leaving you.”_

_“You already did.”_

_I haven’t_ , Steve thought, holding Tony even tighter, and kissing him again when he saw Tony look at him curiously. _I won’t._

They were here. They were together. It would be enough.

They’d figure it out. They always did.

* * *

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Time Travel (Don’t Leave Me Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29409261) by [navaan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan)




End file.
